Loom picker head



Jan. 13, 1953 A. E; CHOUlNALRD LOOM PICKER HEAD Filed Sept; 17, 1948mmvrozz. :4/Jer7 5 Ciao/bard 9. awn. IQ'MJJQ A T TOR/VEP Retentcd Jan.13, 1953 Albert E. Chou-inard, Worcester, Mass.,

to 'Graton & Knight Company,

.as'signor orcester,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts .Avl licatiohseptember 17,1943,Seli'alfNbj. 49.691

'2 Cla'ims. 1

This invention relates "to a loom picker:

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved loompicker, andmore particularly loom picker head of the loop type, which isconstructed in such manner as to insure the maintenance of a snug andtight fit between the 1100p of the picker head and the picker stick whenthe picker head is subjected to use over long periods of time.

With this general object in view, and such others as mayhereina'fterappear, the invention consists in the loom picker-head and in thevarious structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed and particularly defined in the claims atthe endof thisspecification.

In the drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiments of theinvention, Figs. '1 and 2 illustrate in side elevation two modifiedforms of the present picker head mounted upon the usual picker stick;Fig. 3 is a plan view of the picker head shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is aplan view of the picker head shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview illustrating an assembly useful in producing the picker heads shownin Figs. '1 to 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of pickerhead embodying the invention.

Prior to the present invention considerable difiiculty has beenexperienced with prior constructions of picker heads of the loop type,because of the tendency oifithe-pickeriheads to work loose on the pickerstick during the operation of the loom. Heretofore, it has always beenconsidered that the looseness which has developed in this manner has"been due to the stretching and elongation of the leather straps formingthe loop, which extends around .and embraces the picker stick. Theeffect of thelooseness is a serious one, because of the fact thatthepicker head is distorted from its trueposition so that during theoperation of the loom it will not follow a predetermined path ofmovement, and, asa result, defective picking of ,theshuttle occurs, andthis results in .thread breakage, as well as the production of defectivegrains of cloth. In addition, because of the fact that the picker'headis distorted froma true operating position the face of the head issubject'to engagement with the point of the shuttle at various angles,and as a result the picker head itself is subjected to excessive wear,and the life thereof becomes relatively short.

In studying the problem, I have found that the development of theloosenes-s between the loop of the picker head and the picker stick,which has been experienced with prior types of picker heads of the looptype after having been used for extended periods of time, while in aslight degree resulting from elongation of the loop itself, neverthelessappears to result principally from the enlargement of the loop caused bycompression of the impact inember of the picker head. In some instances,I have found that prior constructions of picker heads embodyingcompressible impact members resulted in a compression of the impactmember in a direction longitudely of the picker head, in verysubstantial amounts even up to 3% of an inch. It is therefore apparentthat thecompression of the impact member enlarges the longitudinaldimension of the space within the loop by an amount equal to thecompression of the impactmember in such direction.

As a result of research-and study of this problem, I have developedvarious forms of picker heads of the loop type embodying a constructionof impact member which is designed to reduce to a minimum thelongitudinal compression thereof during theoperation of the loom.Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, I prefer to utilize animpact member made up of aplurali-ty of individual pieces of rawhide,preferably cemented :together into black form and mounted-within anem-bracing leather strap loop in suchmanner asto present theend surfaceof the rawhide :members "to the thrust of the picker stickandtothe-iinpact of the point of the shuttle withthe face ofthe-picker'head. The-embracing straps forming the loop;may, andpreferably will embody an end portion -of--rawhide,--which is preferably of a length and is disposed to extend aroundthe-two sides andacross the face of the impact member and to be wound to form a multi-ply'loop structure. The impact member and'th-e'embracing plies 10f theloo-p are preferably securely riveted together, and while theusual tworivets maybe employed, I have experienced additionallygooderesults'utilizing three rivets, as will be described.

In another mcdi-ficationof the invention, I may prefer to form theimpact member rolling a strip of rawhide and then compressing the sameinto substantially rectangular form as will 'be described.

Referring now to the drawing, It represents a picker head of the looptype which is mounted upon the usual picker stick l2'with the loopforming a space Id of a size to permit the loop to be readily slippedover the head or upper end of the picke stick l2, and to tightly embracethe picker stick with the front face l5 of the picker stick 3 inengagement with the rear face I6 of an impact member I! and with therear surface of the picker stick in engagement with the inner face IQ ofthe back of the loop of the picker head.

In constructing the picker head, I prefer to produce the impact memberll, of an assembly of superimposed pieces of rawhide, which may be cutfrom a sheet of rawhide into rectangular form of the desired size. Theseindividual pieces of rawhide may be and preferably will be cemented andpressed together into block form and then cemented on to the end surfaceof a composite strap 20 as shown in Fig. 5. This strap is provided withan end piece 22 of rawhide to which the rawhide impact assembly I! iscemented. The under-surface of the end of the strap 22, is tapered at 24as shown in Fig. and the second end of the rawhide strap 22 is taperedas at 26 and cemented to the complimentary tapered end of a leatherstrap 28. With this construction, it

is possible to wind the composite strap about a mandrel so as to formthe picker head shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the rawhide strap 22extending around and in contact with the two sides of the impact memberii and across the front face thereof. The leather portion 28 of thecomposite strap is then wound around the mandrel to form a multi-plyloop such as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and to provide a triple-plystructure across the face of the impact member ll. The

component parts of the picker head thus described may, and preferablywill be united under pressure and with the use of suitable cement so asto form a strong, durable and wear-resisting structure.

As shown in Fig. 1, I may prefe to secure several plies of the loopstructure to the impact member by means of two rivets 39 arranged insubstantially vertical alignment and extending transversely through theimpact member of the picker head substantially the center line thereof.As illustrated in Fig. 2, three rivets, 32, may be arranged to extendtransversely through the multi-ply loop and picker head, two of therivets being preferably arranged in substantially vertical alignmentdisposed slightly forward of the center line of the impact member, whilethe third rivet is extended through the rear portion of the impact membeand in a position as illustrated in Fig. 2, disposed slightly above thelongitudinal center line of the picker head. The efiect of the threerivets is to materially stiffen the structure of the impact member andto assist in preventing compression thereof under the severe strains towhich it is subjected during use, both in checking the shuttle andinthrowing the same.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, I may prefer to form the impact member I! ofrawhide in one continuous strap rolled up into a tightly rolledcondition preferably with the three :plies cemented together and pressedinto substantially rectangula form such as is illustrated in Fig. 5, butwherein the rawhide end will be of such length as to permit it to berolled to form the impact member shown in Fig. 6, of the desired sizeand shape.

From the foregoing description of the several embodiments of theinvention, it will be apparent that the rawhide impact member,particularly of the multi-layered structure mounted to dispose thelayers in such relation with respect to the blows of the picker stick,substantially reduces the liability of excessive compression of theimpact member. This construction coupled with the three rivet structureinsures a minimum of compression of the impact member and the results ofextensive testing has demonstrated the ability of the presentconstructions of picker head to remain in tightly fitting relation uponthe picker stick even after exceedingly long periods of constant use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A loom picker head comprising an impact member and a multi-ply loopstructure within which the impact member is secured and through whichthe picker head is secured to the picker stick, said impact member beingof a construction to minimize compression thereof under the impact ofthe shuttle, said impact member consisting of a laminated block with thelaminations disposed longitudinally of the picker head made up entirelyof a plurality of rawhide pieces assembled in side by side relation,said loop structure comprising a composite strap of durable fibrousmaterial having a rawhide portion and a longer leather portion, saidcomposite strap being wound about the impact member to form a double-plyloop portion and a triple-ply portion, the latter including the rawhideportion of said strap, said rawhide portion surrounding two sides andthe front face of the impact member, said impact member extending thefull width of the loop por-- tion of the picker head, and a plurality ofrivets extending through the triple-ply portion of the loop structureand transversely through the im pact member.

2. A loom picker head as defined in claim 1 wherein three rivets areprovided transversely extending through the. triple-ply portion of theloop structure and through the impact member, one the rivets beingextended through the rear portion of the impact member at substantiallythe center line of the picker head.

ALBERT E. CHOUINARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Nrunber Name Date 730,476 Rodgers June 9, 19031,283,747 Hamilton Nov. 5, 1918 1,332,102 Bullard Feb. 24, 19202,091,302 Brahs Aug. 31, 1937 2,308,393 Shivell Jan. 12, 1943 2,353,454Gillet' et a1 July 11, 1944 2,458,936 Fuller Jan. 11, 1949 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 9,409 France Aug. 19, 1907 217,199Switzerland Oct. 15, 1941

